| Matt
Wyatt has a Bachelors degree in Music from Belmont University in
Nashville, Tn. While attending Belmont, Matt studied violin from
jazz violinist Martin Norgaard and Buddy Spicher.
He was a member of the
University's Symphony orchestra and was a founding member of its
Jazz String Quartet. The quartet was featured at the International
Jazz Educators convention in New York City in 2001.
Matt learned directly from some
of Missouri's best. "Picking the brains" of fiddlers like Pete
McMahan, Gene Goforth, Taylor McBaine,
and many others. Jr. Marriott (another great Missouri fiddler
who taught Matt) gave him a tape of Texas fiddler, Terry Morris,
and it started his search for more fiddling like it. He traveled the
country learning from other great fiddlers like JT Perkins, Kenny
Baker, Orville Burns, and Louis Franklin to name a few.
Through
his experiences of learning from so many great old-time fiddlers,
Matt has developed his skills as a teacher and his knowledge of the
traditions of old-time fiddling makes him a direct link to that
driving sound.
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(With
the Sullivans and Andy Griggs at the Ryman)
Matt has played on the Grand Ole
Opry with Jerry and Tammy Sullivan.
He has also played at the
Ryman Auditorium with Andy Griggs
and the Sullivans for a Kitty Wells
tribute broadcast on NBC.
He worked forDeborah
Allen in her house band on her show "Nashville Nights".
Here, Matt played fiddle, mandolin, and guitar with Linda Davis, Paul Overstreet, Billy Dean, The
Kinleys, Mila Mason, T. Graham Brown, Chalee Tennison, Sherrie
Austin, and Suzy Boguss. He now plays with an acoustic swing
group
Swing
DeVille..
Matt and "Jug"
Sullivan back stage at the Ryman
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Matt has
won many fiddle contests including State Championships in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Alabama, and
Mississippi. The top 3 in the Tennessee State Championship,
1st place in Branson Missouri and the top three in Mt. View
Arkansas. In addition to contests, Matt plays for dances regularly.
Matt went to a fiddle contest with
his grandpa and that was what really started it all. Matt grew up
listening to fiddling and on both sides of his family were great
fiddlers. He developed a love and respect for music at a very young
age. His grandpa Bud would visit on Sundays and play old tunes for
the family.
Matt has taught fiddle for over
10 years in the form of private lessons and through academia. He
also teaches guitar, mandolin, and Bass. He has taught at the
Hartz Fiddle
Camp in Idaho, the Three Trails fiddle camp in Kansas City,
a Montana Fiddle camp, and
a fiddle camp in Bethel, MO.
Matt has also done transcriptions for Fiddler Magazine including the
Fall 2002 issue featuring Larry Franklin.
He now travels the country buying
and selling instruments and studying them. He also works in
the repair shop in the Wyatt Violin Shop. Matt plays with the
group Swing DeVille and teaches camps and workshops.
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